Partners

Environmental watering occurs through the collaboration of a range of agencies and individuals to ensure it is coordinated and effective, bringing about the best benefits for Victorian waterways.

Waterway managers play the key role of engaging with public land managers, storage operators, local landholders and communities in the development and implementation of the environmental watering program. The VEWH also works closely with other water holders, such as Commonwealth Environmental Water Office, the Murray-Darling Basin Authority and other partners in the Living Murray program, to negotiate use of their water in Victorian rivers, wetlands and floodplains. These partnerships are outlined in the figure below:

Partners of the VEWH include:

• Waterway Managers (Catchment management authorities (CMAs) and Melbourne Water) - Engage communities to identify regional priorities and develop watering proposals for VEWH consideration; order and manage the delivery of environmental water in line with VEWH decisions;
  integrate watering with structural works and complementary measures
• Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) - Facilitates the Living Murray Environmental Watering Group (EWG); coordinates with CEWO and States
• Commonwealth Environmental Water Office (CEWO) - Holds and manages CEW Holdings in line with the Basin Plan; coordinates with partners in the Living Murray program and States
• Storage operators (Water corporations) - Endorse watering proposals prepared by waterway managers (if required for delivery); provide the environmental water delivery service from storages
• Public land managers (Parks Victoria) - Endorse watering proposals prepared by waterway managers where they propose to inundate public land
• Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) - Supports the Minister for Environment and Climate Change in governance and oversight of the VEWH; develops water resource and integrated catchment management policy for the Victorian Government; creates and amends environmental entitlements for approval by the Minister for Water
  

Other stakeholders with an interest in environmental watering include environmental groups, local government, entitlement-holders, land-holders and communities.